Improvement in projectiles for ordnance



M. RITNER.

Sabots and Wads.

Patented Jan. 6, 1863.

llivirnn Sra'rns ATENT @rrrcn.

)HCITAEL RITNER, OF \DTCENNES, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROJECTlLES FOR ORDNANCE.

Fpel-ilivalinn forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,361, dated January(3, 1861;.

To all whom, it nuty concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL BITNER, of V'ncennes, in the county of Knoxand State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in theModes of Using Ordnance Projectiles; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference there on,like letters in the several figures indicating the same or analogousparts.

I-Ieretofore it has been consideredimpracticable to use lead as thematerial from which to form projectiles for ordnance, for the followingamong other reasons, to wit: First, the powerful explosion of a piece ofordnance tends to upset and distort the ball second, the intense heat ofthe gases escaping from the rear of the ball and passing over thesurface of the ball or projectile tends to fuse and cut away itssurface.

It is manifest that if a leadeu projectile become upset by the power ofthe explosion such effects will greatly detract from the accurate flightof the ball, and the melting of the surface of the leaden ball will notonly detract from its capability for accurate and powerful shooting, butwill leave a deposit of lead, more or less, upon the bore of the gun;but for these and other objections leaden projectiles for ordnance wouldbe preferred over all others for connon use, since to a given weight ofmetal, if of lead, a greater momentum can be imparted than if suchweight were composed of iron or steel, and hence for ordinary purposes agreater accuracy in flight, greater range, and increasedpenetrationwould be attained; but, aside from the ordinary uses of ordnanceprojectiles, I have discovered that a leaden projectile can, forordinary purposes, (and as I shall describe,) be used with greateffieiency in the penetration, displacement, and battering down of ironor steel clad structurcs.

The experiments heretofore made in the use ofleaden projectiles forordnance have failed, owing to the causes stated, and the upsetting ofthe lead and the bursting of the gun and the absence of the knowledge ofmeans to effectually prevent windage have permitted the heated gases tocome in contact with the projectile during its passage from the gun, andthus ordnance and ready to be fired.

fuse and cut away its surface. By my inven tion these difficulties areovercome; and it eonsist in combining an ordnance projectile made oflead with a sabot or wad composed of vulcanized india-rubber orgutta-percha, or a combination of these.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a leaden ordnance projectile, A, witha vulcanized rubber wad, B, applied to itslrear end. The end of the wadwhich is intended to abut against the cartridge being made concave, asat C. Fig. 2 is a sectional view' of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveView of a projectile, the same :as Fig. 1, but applied toavulcanized-india-rub ber'wad, B, made with a central perforation, d, asshown, and having a conical plug, (1, therein indicated, so that theaction of the exploded powder may drive the plug (1 into the perforationd, and thus expand the wad against the bore of the gun from which it isfired. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of Fig. Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof a projectile,A, the same as in Figs. 1 and 3, but having a solidcylin drical wad, B applied to its rear end, said wad being covered, asshown, with cotton or duck or woolen cloth or other fibrous material e,and which may be saturated with suitable lubricating substance. The wadB" may be composed of vulcanized india-rubber, or it may be composed ofthe substance known as tay packing, the main constituent of which isvulcanized rubber or gutta-perehaand rubber combined and vulcanized.

In the several figures I have shown the leaden projectile A and thesabots B B B in the relative positions they will occupy with re gard toeach other when placed in a piece of It is apparent, then, that theshock of the explosion will be received in the first instance by theelastic sabot B, B, or B as the case may be, and that the power of thegases will be gradually communicated, as it were, to the projectilethough what may be termed an elasticcushion pressure, instead of asudden blow. The ball or projectileA will thus be prevented from beingupset or distorted by the action of the gases in forcing it from a stateof rest. It is also apparent that the action of the gases upon theelastic sabot will be to expand its diameter and force its perimeteragainst all parts of the bore of the gun, and into the grooves if thegun be grooved, and so afford perfect protectioneagainst windage; V andthis result is with the more certainty attained,

since the rubber, being vulcanized, will resist the intense heat of thegases. The gases being kept from contact with the projectile in the actof firing, the leaden ball or projectile A is not subject to have itssurface fused and cut away by them. It will thus be seen that by thesimple combination of a leaden ordnance projectile with a vulcanized-rubber wad I am enabled to utilized ordnance projectiles which hasheretofore proved a failure and attain results which cannot be attainedby the use of iron and steel.

I find vulcanized gutta-percha or a combination of gutta-percha withrubber will procure good effects. I therefore claim both rubber orgutta-percha or a combination of both.

I would here state that I do not wish to confine myself to the use ofanyparticular form or construction of vulcanized-india-rubher orvulcanizedgutta-percha wads or sabots in combination with an ordnanceprojectile when made of l-ead'and used in combination withvulcanized-india-rubber or. vulcanizedgutta-percha wads or sabots.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The combination of a leaden ordnance projectile with avulcanized-india-rubber or vul canized-guttapercha or a combination ofvulcanized-india-rubber and vulcanized-gottapercha wad or sabot, for thepurpose set forth.

M. RITNER.

Witnesses: 7

PETER COUTAN'I, M. J. BRnEs.

